Auckland-based ACT MP Dr Parmjeet Parmar met with Auckland Transport yesterday to relay concerns about crime, public safety, and fare dodging on Auckland’s bus network.

“I’ve heard directly from bus drivers, operators, and passengers who are frustrated by Auckland Transport's slow response to safety issues on public transport,” says Dr Parmar.

“Yesterday’s meeting was an important opportunity to bring these concerns directly to Auckland Transport’s attention – particularly on behalf of those operators who feel like they are being ignored by the agency.

“I stressed the urgency of rolling out safety measures for bus drivers, who should not have to fear for their physical safety while doing their jobs.

“I was pleased that Auckland Transport has committed to providing data on the number of warnings and fines issued for fare evasion. However, I was not left with the impression that Auckland Transport sees fare dodging as a serious issue, despite the agency being warned repeatedly that fare dodging leads to violence.

"Weak enforcement of existing rules has fostered a culture of entitlement, where some passengers refuse to meet their obligation to pay.

"In our meeting, Auckland Transport identified racism as a driver of the abuse, with many bus drivers being from ethnic communities. This makes the issue of violence on buses even more alarming. If someone thinks that their race, or the race of the bus driver, entitles them to ride for free, that requires a strong response from Auckland Transport and Police.

“Data from 2021 showed that only 13 per cent of those caught fare dodging were issued a ticket across all modes of public transport, with estimations of up to two million in fares being dodged in two years. A stronger message needs to be sent that fare dodging is unacceptable.

“It is vital that any public transport system has the trust and buy-in from its users. If people do not feel safe to work on or use public transport, they won’t do it.

“Auckland Transport says limited resourcing makes it difficult to deploy transport officers at the scale bus drivers would like. ACT says there has to be a solution here. I will continue to listen to the concerns of all affected parties and push for Auckland Transport to act more decisively."

© Scoop Media